Track sanding device



Feb. 29, 1944. F. E. SAARI TRACK SANDING- DEVICE Original Filed Dec. 25,1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 8 m x mm eE 0 im z n 1m 7% 7w 5 m 7 4 4 6 a f Feb.29, 1944.

F. E. SAARI TRACK smnmq DEVICE Original Filed Dec. 25, 1959 2Sheets-Sheet 2 [7221572 for Fan/2' E flaa 2/.

Jittorvzqgb' Patented Feb. 29, 1944 TRACK SANDING DEVICE Frank E. Saari,Chicago, 111., assignor of one-half to Edmund P. Kelly, Chicago, Ill.

Continuation of application Serial No. 310,793, This application June 4,

December 23; 1939.

1942, Serial No. 445,770

6 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved track sanding device particularlyadapted to be used in train line application for delivering sand to thewheels of railway cars and has as its object to provide a new andimproved device of this description.

The invention has as a further object to provide means for deliveringsand to the rails immediately in front of the wheels on passenger carsand coaches or other similar train equipment as may be deemed necessaryor requisite to insure greater braking efiioiency of such equipment. Theinvention has as a further object to provide a motor operated valveprovided with means for utilizing the electric current and air supplycustomarily supplied on passenger cars and similar train equipment. Theinvention has a further object to provide a novel arrangement of asanding mechanism or unit comprisin a sand supply, delivery linestherefrom to the rails and sand traps installed in such delivery linescontrolled by a motor operated valve. The invention has as a furtherobject to provide for single or multiple operation of this valve unitfrom one or more control stations either manually, automatically, orboth, as disclosed by the specification and wiring diagram appendedhereto.

The invention has .a further object to provide a valve constructionwhich when used with a sanding device effectively regulates and controlsthe operation of the sand traps which are located in the sand deliverylinesfor the purpose of retaining the sand supply when movement of thesand therein is not-influenced by the application of compressed air orother fluid throughthe valve, thus suspending delivery of the sand andpreventing its escape to the rails.

The invention has as a further object to provide for the removal of anyobstruction or accumu ation of sand, moisture or foreign matter in thedelivery pipes by providing, in the operation thereof, adequate means ofdischarging clean out blasts of compressed air or other fluid throughthe delivery pipes before and after every sanding operation;

A further object of my invention is to provide remote manual orautomatic control of sand delivery to the rails from suitable boxes orcontainers located for the storage of a sand supply in passenger orother cars, particularly on modern high speed trains, where the deliveryof sand to the rails may be made simultaneously with or automaticallyupon the application of the brakes for such length of time as may bedesired during brake application.

I have designed this motor operated valve so that its installation anduse can be made on all standard passenger cars and coaches withoutnecessitating any great change in the equipment used on the same ortheir present method of operation or the addition of air lines or otherequipment in between the cars with the exception of providing but onecontrol conductor from the locomotive cab or control station to the lastvalve unit in the train line.

The invention has as a further object to provide a motor operated valveso that the current consumption for the unit as a whole shall be verysmall and so that the current in the control circuit is of such smallvalue that the circuit may be connected to and controlled by any of thepresent or standard braking control circuits installed on high speedtrains without interfering with the operation of the other circuits andso that the individual motor circuits may be connected locally to anyavailable supply in the cars as the valve motors are small and requirevery little power and that only While the valve is opened or closed, asno power is required during the actual sanding which is efiected bymeans of compressed air as hereinafter described.

This invention has further objects which are more specifically set outin the accompanying description.

This application is a continuation of my ap plication Serial Number310,793, filed December 23, 1939, for Sanding valve.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein I have shown one form of thedevice embodying the invention, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevationof a passenger car showing a truck section thereof and the applicationof my invention thereto;

Fig. 2 is an assembly of the motor driven valve unit, showing relay,rotary switch and spring contacts;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of valve;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of for motor operation;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view of the valve taken along line 55 ofFig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a viewof the rotary switch showing the spring contacts androtary switch plate mounted on the valve driving gear, as seen along theline 66 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view of the valve driving gear and rotaryswitch plate taken along a double-tliree-way a valve designed line 1-1of Fig. 6 and showing in detail the means of insulating and mounting theswitch plate on the valve driving gear;

Fig. 8 is a detail with parts separated as shown in section;

Fig. 9 is a wiring diagram showing the motor connections, rotary switch,spring contacts and the control circuit, including switch and relay;

Fig. 10 illustrates a modified form of the control circuit employingapplication of a governor controlled switch;

Fig. 11 is a further modification of a part of the control circuitshowing the installation of a pneumatic switch.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several figures.

Fig. 1 is illustrative of a truck section of a passenger car I, which isequipped with a sand box 2 located in the car body in proximity to thetruck as space, dependent upon the construction of the car, may permit,to which is connected a delivery pipe 3 adapted for the purpose ofdelivering sand from sand box 2 to the rails in front of the car wheels.Free escape of sand through the delivery line 3 is prevented by theinstallation of a sand trap 4 to which the valve control air lines areconnected, so that when air under pressure is admitted into the sandtrap 4 through the nozzle therein provided, the sand trapped andentering therein will be blown downwardly through delivery line 3 to therail.

This operation will be hereinafter designated the sanding operation" inconnection with further explanation of the motor operated valve. An airsupply line 1 is connected to the main reservoir line 'l'a for supplyingair to the motor driven valve 8, and from thence by means of air line 5connected to valve 8, air is supplied to and through valve 8a and intoline Ed, by means of which air is introduced into sand trap Ll for thesanding operation. In a similar manner, by means of air line 6 connectedto said valve 8, air is supplied to and through valve 84 and into airline 6a. leading into sand trap 4 for the clean. out blasts before andafter the sanding operation. The principle involved in respect to thesequence and the timing of the sanding and clean out air deliveries willbe explained in detail in the specification of the valve 8 as shown in'Figs. 5 and 6.

There is provided a double three-way valve 8a, a cross sectional view ofwhich is shown in Fig. 3. The function of the three-way valve 8a is toprovide a selective sanding operation by changing or diverting deliveryof air from the sand trap 4 and delivery line 3 to sand trap ta anddelivery line 3a. The valve 8a and its ap plication and operationapplies only to passenger cars or coaches or similar equipment which aretermed reversible, as differentiated from cars or coaches made up intoarticulated units, as is the case in the operation of present day highspeed trains, intended to operate in one direction only, in whichinstance, the valve 8a is omitted and air lines 5 and t are connecteddirectly to the sand trap 4.

Flexible sections 9: and 9 are inserted in delivery pipes 311 and 3 andattached to sections comprising the delivery nozzles 3b, 30, which aresecurely attached to the truck frame to provide positive alignment ofthe delivery nozzle in respect to the rail, irrespective of any shiftingor lateral movement of the car body occasioned in train operation overor along curves in the road bed.

In Fig. 1 only the necessary equipment as applied to one side of the caris shown to explain the operation of my valve unit in delivering sand toone rail and in respect to the truck wheels bearing on said rail.Identical equipment is used to perform the sanding operation on theother rail and by making the proper connections in the air lines leadingfrom valve 8a, sanding on both rails is made simultaneously by theoperation of my valve.

In Fig. 2, which is an assembly of the valve unit in which the valveproper is 8, the motive power which is supplied by motor if] thereto, isdesigned to operate on current available in the cars or coaches. Thepower is transmitted through and by means of speed reduction unit H forwhich proper gearing arrangement is made so as to mesh with the valvedriving gear l2, upon and to which the plate 13 of the rotary switch ismounted (Fig. 6). There is a mounting block I4 of electricallyinsulating material on which the spring contacts of the rotary switchare mounted. There is a relay l5 (Fig. 9) of standard construction,which is shown as a single pole double throw type. The motor, relay androtary switch connections are incorporated and their function indicatedin the wiring diagram of Fig. 9 and the function of the rotary switchshown therein.

In Fig. 4 the body of the valve proper 8 consists of two parts,hereinafter shown as front half l6 and back half I! of said body. Thesetwo halves are fitted and fastened together by means of bolts I8 whichextend through projecting ribs or lugs I9 in the back half I! and arethreaded into similar lugs 20 in the front half 16. A gasket 2| isinserted in between the two halves at the junction, to insure an airtight joint. The valve disc 22 is shown assembled in the valve in Figs.4 and 5. This disc is made of wear-resisting metal and the face thereofis ground and highly polished to insure a perfect seal to air and toreduce friction when rotated on the valve seat 23, which seat is apolished surface on the front half IQ of the valve 8. Numeral 24designates springs of resilient metal being shaped as shown, fastenedtogether permanently at the center at right angles to one another bymeans of a square shank rivet 25 through square holes in the springs 24.The ends of these springs rest on the surface of the back of the valvechamber 26. The rivet has a rounded head which fits into a smiliarrecess 25a in the center of the disc 22, thus centering and seating thedisc 22 at all times against the valve seat 23 and by pressure of airagainst the disc a perfect seal is formed against passage of air throughthe valve and effectively retains the air in the chamber 26 when thevalve is in closed position.

A cylindrical valve shaft 21 extends through the center and protrudesfrom the front half l6 and is held in place by a collar 28 which ispreferably a part of the shaft itself. The shaft 21 is also providedwith a reduced section 29 upon which the gear I2 is mounted to rotatewith shaft 21 and is held in place by suitable means,

, such as a key 29a locked in position by jamb nut 30 for which suitablethreads 3! are provided. A rectangular shaped recess 32 is cut into thecenter of the disc 22 into which the rectangular shaped end 33 of shaft21 is fitted so that it will rotate disc 22 only when motive power isapplied to gear l2. The disc 22 and the construction of valve 8 arearranged to cause disc 22 to make a complete revolution during eachcomplete op,- eration of valve 8. 34 is a threaded boss which is part ofback half 17 and by means of which the reservoir air line I is connectedto valve 8.

In Fig. 4 the View as shown is that of the valve with the disc 22 insanding position and the air from the reservoir line I enters chamber 26and. is released through the port 35 in disc 22 into communicating portor duct 36 and from thence into the sanding air line 5. The air line isfastened to the front half l by means of threaded boss 31. I

To discontinue the sanding operation, the disc 22 is rotated in aclockwise direction, see Fig. 5, and when the port 35 is passing overport ,38 in. the front half I6, air is released through port 38 intoinverted Y shaped communicating duct 40 embodied in the structure of thefront half I 6, and from thence into clean out air line 6 which isattached to front half by means of threaded boss ll. The valve disc 22comes to rest when port assumes the position indicated by dotted linesdenoting the end of the operating cycle of the valve, which is thenready for the next brake application. In a similar manner, up-

on application of motive power to the valve 8, or during the first halfof the operating cycle when the port 35 is passing over port 39, air isreleased into the duct and thence into clean out air line 6 to effectthe clean out of delivery line 3 before the sanding operation.

Referring to Figs. 6, 7 and 8, a metallic plate l3, hereinafter termedrotary switch plate, is mounted on gear l2 from which it is insulatedelectrically by means of a disc 42 of insulating material. The plate I3is fastened to gear I2 by means or screws 43 which are fitted withinsulating washers 44 and bushings 45, all of which are shown in detailin Fig. 8. The fastening screws 43 and bushings 55 are fitted throughthe equally spaced slots 46 which are cut through the plate 13 near theouter edge thereof. The slot 46 pro vides a means of adjustment for thetiming of the valve by unloosening the screws 43, which permits plate 3to be shifted or rotated as required and of retightening the screws 43to refasten the plate 13 in the desired position. Springs 4?, 48 and 49have attached thereto contacts 41a, 48a and 43a respectively. Thesprings are fastened to block 14 by means of screws 59 and block [4 isso located as to cause spring contacts Alla, 48a and 49a to make contacton plate H5 or rest upon some section of insulating disc 42. Normally,when the unit is not in operation (see Fig. 6) the spring contacts 47a,43a and 49a rest in alignment with contacts 41a and 48a, making contactwith plate 13 while contact 49a rests upon insulating block Za fittedinto a recess in plate 13 thus insulating it from same.

When the valve 8 is operated by the rotation of gear 2, plate l3 rotateswith it until contact 4711 rides oil edge 5! of plate !3, thus cuttingoff the current supply to motor l and valve 8 registers in sandingposition, while contacts 48a and 553a still remain on and in contactwith plate l3. To discontinue sanding, power is applied so as to causethe valve to rotate to closed position. To accomplish this, plate itrotates until contact 43a rides ofi plate it onto block 42a, thussuspending current supply to the mo tor, upon which happening, the valveis completely closed with contact la resting on plate [3 after mountingedge 52 which places the valveunitin readiness for the next application.

In the wiring diagram in Fig. 9 the two customary current supply linesare indicated by the signs positive and negative which usually runthroughout the length of the train, connection being made between carsOr coaches by jumpers 53. In the control circuit the current is suppliedfrom the positive line by conductor El to switch 52 located in thelocomotive cab, thence by conductor 58 to winding El of double throwrelay l5, energizing the same and from which the circuit is completed tothe negative line by means of conductor 58.

Upon energizing the relay winding 57 armature 58 is drawn down so thatarmature contact 59a is moved away from contact 69 and brought intocontact with contact 6!, thus completing the motor circuit in whichcurrent is supplied from the positive line by conductor 62 to armature5d and through contacts 55a and 5t to conductor 63 leading to spring ofthe rotary switch. From there the current flows across plate it tocenter spring 48 and by of conductor 6*! it is supplied to motor it fromwhich the circuit is completed to negative line by conductor 65.

Thus the motor It continues to rotate the valve unit until the valveregisters in sanding position, at which time the current to the motor iscut on by having contact Ala ride off plate l3 at point 5! as explainedpreviously. Sanding is therefore continued until the current supply inthe control circuit is suspended by opening switch 52 deenergizing therelay coil winding 51, in which event armature 53 is drawn up by thespring 55 with armature contact tea to rest upon contact 60, therebycompleting the motor circuit. In like manner, the current flows fromarmature 55 through contacts 55a and 6b to conductor 6? leading tospring contact of the rotary switch. From there the current flows acrossplate 3 to center spring contact 38 and to the motor by means ofconductor 5t, thus completing the motor circuit, whereby the valve unitis rotated by the motor 58 until the valve registers in closed position,at which time current to motor is suspended by means of contact 452ariding ofi plate it onto block thus completing the operating cycle ofthe unit and placing it in readiness for the next operation. A conductor55a connects with additional units.

The valve 8 is prevented from being left open accidentally in anyposition to cause reduced air pressure on the train line and loss ofsand by limiting the size of block 52a so that any partial rotation ofthe valve unit will cause spring contact Ada to ride off of block 42aand come in contact with plate 13, thereby completing the motor circuitwhich will cause the valve to be rotated to closed position.

In Fig. 10 a governor i0 is shown which may be located on the locomotiveor on any one of the coaches, and is mounted so as to enable it to bedriven directly from the axle by a belt or other suitable means and isin operation at all times while the train is in motion. Contact arm 68is operated by governor l5 and is moved over across and on the contact69, making electrical contact thereon. The governor unit is connected inthe line 55 so that the circuit is completed from the switch 52 to therelay winding 51 only when the arm 53 is on contact 59. Thus, by havingthe governor adjusted so that arm 68 remains on contact 69 only during apredetermined speed range and by closing switch .52, located on thelocomotive cab, the valve unit will operate and deliver sand under thecar wheels only when the train is traveling within the set speed rangeand sanding is automatically shut oil when the speed of the trainextends beyond the setting of the governor or upon opening switch 52,thus preventing escape of sand to the rails while the train is not inmotion or operating at a speed when sanding is not required.

In Fig. 11, the switch i2 is operated by pneumatic means consisting of achamber H, enclosing a diaphragm which closes switch 12 when acted uponby pressure of air from line 13. Air line 73 is connected directly tothe brake application air line or directly to the air brake operatingvalve. Thus, by operating the air brake valve to actuate the brakes, airis also supplied to the pneumatic switch closing the control circuit tooperate the valve unit for the purpose of supplying sand under the carWheels in conjunction with brake application, or suspending the sandingwhen the brakes are re leased.

Heretofore it has been the practice to apply track sanders on thelocomotives or power units only, as distinguished from train or carunits; in other words, the use and application of sand to the rails,which is just as efficacious on a freight or passenger car wheel underair brake control, has not been successfully extended to the carscomprising the train itself, due, primarily to the fact that no devicein the shape of a, cab control or operating valve, has yet been usedwhich would enable the engineer to apply sand, not alone on the powerunit, but on every car on the train, at

one and the same time, in order to increase the tractive power of thewheels on the rails or reduce the speed of the train as desired.

All modern passenger trains are fully equipped with air supply pipes andelectrical wiring systems. The same are joined, car to car, by flexibleconnections, and the addition of a sand box connected with said trapsover or adjacent to any set of trucks in the entire train, and theherein motor driven sander valve arrangement, connected with theelectrical wiring and air reservoir, would, at the option of theengineer, transmit sand to the rails, either before or behind, thetrucks of the several cars or the drivers of the power unit at one andthe same time, and makes such a sanding system practical andcommercially acceptable.

Moreover, the speed governor, which is part of the air brake system, andis electrically controlled, can be connected with the herein describedmotor driven sander valve so as to automatically open and close thesander valve to delivery and suspend delivery of sand to the rails withthe application and release of the brakes on the governor impulse, afunction entirely without possibility on any other existing sandingvalve or system.

The herein described device is a completely rotating disc, the one porttherein moving clockwise over a clean out port, to free the trackdelivery pipes from obstructions like snow or ice, then to a'sandingport which is piped into a sand trap and blows sand in prearrangedvolume down to the rail.

The present valve, therefore, makes it possible to provide a sandingsystem where all of the wheels of the different cars of a train may beprovided with sand, controlled from the locomotive or power unit. Thisis not possible with the valves that move a certain distance and thenmust be moved back to their initial position. By providing the cars of atrain with this sanding valve and arrangement, the wear and tear on thebrake shoes will be greatly reduced. At the presenttime the cost ofsupplying brake shoes on the railroad stands number two as to theexpense item, the highest item being the cost of coal or fuel.

With such a system applied to the fast trains going, say, miles an hour,such trains could be stopped in one-fourth of the distance requiredunder present sanding conditions. The simplicity, dependable performanceand properly balanced clean out and sanding operations of the presentdevice, and its utilization of a minimum of air and electric'currentmakes it a commercially advantageous construction.

I claim:

1. A track sanding device 01' car wheels running on rails, comprising asand trap for the sand, a delivery pipe extending from the sand trap toa point in proximity to the point where the wheels make contact with therail, a valve for controlling the delivery of fluid under pressure forblowing sand from the sand trap through said delivery pipe, said valvecomprising a casing, pipes for connecting it to a source of fluid underpressure and with said sand trap, a rotary valve disc in said casinports in said valve disc and said casing controlled by the movement ofsaid valve disc for controlling admission of fluid to the pipe connectedwith the sand trap, which disc makes a complete revolution in a singledirection in every operation of the valve, an electric motor forrotating said disc and circuit means for said motor including means forsupplying operating current to said motor to open said valve, means forautomatically shutting ofi said current when said valve reaches openposition, and means for supplying operating current to said motor toclose said valve.

2. A track sanding device for car wheels running on rails, comprising asand trap for the sand, at delivery pipe extendin from the sand trap toa point in proximity to the point Where the Wheel makes contact with therail, a valve for controlling the delivery of fluid under pressure forblowing sand from the sand trap through said delivery pipe, said valvecomprising a casing, ipes for connecting it to a source of fluid underpressure and with said sand trap, a. rotary valve disc in said casing,ports in said valve disc and said cas-- ing controlled by the movementof said valve disc for controlling admission of fluid to the pipeconnected with the sand trap, which disc makes a complete forwardrevolution in a single direction in every operation of the valve, anelectric motor operatively connected with said disc for rotating it,electrical circuit connections for said motor, including means forsupplying operating current to said motor to move said disc to open saidvalve, means for automatically shutting off said current when said valvereaches open position and while the sand is being delivered to the rail,and means for supplying operating current to said motor to move saiddisc to close said valve.

3. A track sanding device comprising a sand trap having cleanout andsanding nozzles, a source of fluid under pressure, a fluid controllingvalve having cleanout and sanding ports controlled by a movable part, anelectric motor for actuating said valve, means supplying operatingcurrent to said motor to open said valve, automatic means for shuttingofi the current to said motor when said valve reaches its open position,

and means for supplying operating current to said motor to close saidvalve, said valve being connected to said source of fluid under pressureand said nozzles and constructed to deliver a clean out air blast intosaid sand trap before and after each sanding operation, the movable partof said valve being rotated by said motor in the same direction acomplete revolution at every operation.

4. A track sanding device for cars running on rails other than the powerunits to which the cars are attached and having a main air line thereon,comprising a sand trap thereon, a sand delivery pipe extending from saidsand trap to the rail in proximity to a wheel of the car, a connectionbetween said main air line and said sand trap, a valve in saidconnection comprising a casing, a rotary valve disc in said casing,which makes a complete revolution in a single direction in everyoperation of the valve, ports in said valve disc, and said casingcontrolled by the movement of said valve disc for controlling theadmission of air under pressure to the pipe connected with said sandtrap for blowing sand from said sand trap through said delivery pipe, anelectric motor for rotating said disc, a source of current for saidmotor controlled from the power unit and circuit controlling means forsupplying operating current to said motor to open said valve and forautomatically disconnecting the motor from the source of current whenthe valve reaches its open position and sand is being delivered fromsaid sand trap to the rail and connecting said motor with said source ofcurrent to close said valve so that the motor is using no current whilesand is being delivered from the sand trap to the rail and is onl usingcurrent when the valve is being moved to connect the sand trap with themain air line and to disconnect the sand trap from the main air line.

5. A track sanding device for cars other than the power units to whichthe cars are attached and having a main air line thereon, comprising asand trap thereon, a sand delivery pipe extending from said sand trap toth rail in proximity to a wheel of the car, a connection between saidmain air line and said sand trap, a valve in said connection comprisinga casing, a rotary valve disc in said casing, ports in said valve discand said casing controlled by the movement of said valve disc forcontrolling the admission of air under pressure to the pipe connectedwith said sand trap for blowing sand from said sand trap through saiddelivery pipe, which valve disc makes a complete revolution in a singledirection in every operation of the valve to connect the sand trap withthe main air line and to disconnect the sand trap from said main airline, an electric motor for rotating said disc, a source of current forsaid motor controlied from the power unit and circuit means for saidmotor, including means for supplying operating current to the motor toopen said valve, means for automatically shutting 01f said current whensaid valve reaches open position, and means for supplying operatingcurrent to said motor to close said valve so that the motor is using nocurrent while sand is being delivered from the sand trap to the rail andis only using current when the rotary valve is being moved to connectthe sand trap with the main air line and to disconnect the sand trapfrom the main air line.

6. A track sanding device for a plurality of cars running on railsconnected with a power unit, said cars having a main air line extendingtherethrough, said track sanding device comprising a separate sand trapon each of said cars, a sand delivery pipe extending from each of saidsand traps to the rail in proximity to a wheel of each of said cars, aconnection between said main air line and each of said sand traps, forblowing sand from said sand traps through said delivery pipes, a valvein each of said connections comprising a casing, a rotating disc in saidcasing which makes a complete revolution in a single direction in everyoperation of the valve, ports in said valve disc, and said casingcontrolled by the movement of said valve disc for controlling theadmission of air under pressure to the said sand traps, an electricmotor for actuating each of said valve discs, a source of current forsaid electric motors extending through said cars and controlled from thepower unit and circuit means for said motors, including means forsupplying operating current to said motors to open said valves, meansfor automaticall shutting off said current when said valves reach openpositions, and means for supplying operating current to said motors toclose said valves, so that the motors are using no current while sand isbeing delivered from the sand receptacles to the rail and are only usingcurrent when the valves are being moved to connect the sand receptacleswith the main air line and to disconnect the sand receptacles from thmain air line.

FRANK E. SAARI.

